Echo: Reds show spirit and guts of Shankly

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

The great man would have been proud of this.

Liverpool served up the perfect tribute to Bill Shankly with a cherished victory over Manchester United at Anfield.

On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the legendary manager's birth, the Reds produced a display brimming with the kind of qualities Shankly used to preach about. This was a triumph for hard graft, togetherness, passion, guts and resilience.

"We will be doing our best to honour him with a performance that would have made him and the people happy," Brendan Rodgers wrote in his programme notes.

That mission was accomplished as Daniel Sturridge's early goal ensured the Reds deservedly claimed the prized scalp of the champions.

Fittingly, Liverpool today sit where Shankly put them - at the summit of English football. Only the most optimistic of Kopites will believe they can stay there over the coming months, but for the first time in a long while they can at least dare to dream.

The Reds boast the top flight's only 100 per cent record with three straight wins representing their best start to a season for 19 years.

This was the finest day of Rodgers' 15-month Anfield reign. Even amidst the revival he oversaw in the second half of last season his team stood accused of being flat-track bullies.

Some ruthless thrashings were dished out to the Premier League's also-rans yet when it came to the heavyweight clashes Liverpool came off second best.

In the dozen matches against top six clubs last term only the visit of Spurs yielded maximum points.

If the Reds are serious about achieving Champions League qualification that record must be improved and this was a significant step towards achieving that.

Rodgers insisted Liverpool had already gone some way to closing the gap between themselves and United with the progress they've made since January and his words were backed up by his players' actions.

Tactically, Rodgers got it spot on as having gone in front, the Reds remained disciplined and well organised as they comfortably kept United at bay.

What a contrast to the other dugout where David Moyes cut a forlorn figure as he endured another dose of Anfield misery. Remarkably, he has now failed to win there in 13 attempts.

United were cautious and showed little ambition. Even in the second half when the visitors dominated possession, there was no spark and they rarely looked like hurting Liverpool.

There was no late onslaught and it's hard to remember them ever accepting their fate like this under Alex Ferguson.

As Moyes licks his wounds after United's first away league defeat for 10 months and desperately seeks reinforcements on deadline day, Mamadou Sakho, Tiago Ilori and Victor Moses will strengthen the squad for the challenges ahead.

Whether Liverpool have done sufficient business to ensure Rodgers has enough quality at his disposal to last the pace in the race for the top four only time will tell. But if the Reds keep grinding out wins like this there will be no complaints.

As Anfield paid homage to Shankly, there was another birthday which was celebrated in style. On the day he turned 24, Sturridge was once again Rodgers' match-winner.

The £12million man became the first Liverpool player since Robbie Fowler in 1994-95 to score in each of the club's opening three Premier League games.

He made it look easy as he turned home Daniel Agger's header from Steven Gerrard's corner inside four minutes. However, his movement and anticipation was top class as he stole in front of Patrice Evra and Tom Cleverley to provide a vital touch.

From the minute's applause for Shankly, which was accompanied by the Kop's mosaic, the atmosphere was electric and the early goal ensured the noise levels were maintained.

There was a real energy and intensity about Liverpool in the opening 45 minutes. Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva were dominant as they wrestled control in the middle of the park and put the hosts on the front foot.

United's frustration grew with them resorting to kicking lumps out of Philippe Coutinho, who will have a few bruises as mementoes of his first taste of this fierce rivalry.

There was a scare when Robin van Persie volleyed over but it was a rare sight of goal for the Dutchman.

Defensively, Liverpool were outstanding with Martin Skrtel shining on his return alongside Agger. Skrtel's future has been uncertain all summer with the Slovakian having slipped down the pecking order. But in the absence of the injured Kolo Toure, he provided a timely reminder of his prowess.

Sensing danger and dealing with it, this was the Skrtel who was crowned player of the year in 2011-12, not the centre-back whose standards slipped to the point where he spent the closing months of last season warming the bench.

In the second half Liverpool sat back and challenged United to break them down. The impressive Glen Johnson, who had made a vital challenge to deny Danny Welbeck before the interval, expertly blocked Ashley Young's goal-bound strike.

Moyes was left bemoaning Andre Marriner's decision not to award a penalty when Welbeck went down in the box after a tangle with Iago Aspas but his complaints cut no ice.

Simon Mignolet will take his place alongside Billy McOwen and Pepe Reina as the only keepers in Liverpool's history to have kept clean sheets in their first three league games for the club. The Belgian had precious little to do prior to parrying away a fierce drive from substitute Nani.

The Reds' work ethic was epitomised by Jordan Henderson who ran himself into the ground.

Johnson delighted the Kop with a crunching tackle on Evra but in the process hurt his ankle and later left Anfield on crutches. Andre Wisdom slotted in at right-back with Luis Alberto coming on for Coutinho.

Van Persie fired wide late on but in truth there was little to concern the home side. In fact Liverpool threatened to add to their tally on the counter-attack with David De Gea tipping over Sterling's strike.

This was a result to savour. On the day when Liverpool honoured an icon from their glorious past, Rodgers provided more compelling evidence that his own Anfield revolution is gathering pace.